Pastor Tommy Jackson in Longview, Texas, decided to put his Rose Heights Church congregation to the compassion test a couple weeks ago by dressing the part of a drunk vagrant and stumbling around on the church property until people stopped to either harass or help him. What he discovered about his discipleship work at the church reassured him that the followers of Christ he is teaching are compassionate enough to offer help rather than condemnation.

Several different church members approached him and held him up so he could walk without falling. Some people offered him food or other help. Most offered simply kindness; what Jackson was after in the first place.

Jackson’s test reminded me of a similar one performed by a church member at Southeast Christian, a mega-church in Louisville, Ky. Wondering whether the church’s security staff would be more likely to get rid of a homeless man or to help him, this member dressed the part—even pouring beer over his jacket to smell the part—then wandered into the church. Not unlike Jackson’s church, Southeast offered compassion—even hotel and restaurant vouchers, use of the phone, etc.

While I’m glad these two churches passed these compassion tests, I think they were only pre-tests for the real exams. People in need may not show up to Sunday morning worship, during the posted service times. People in need don’t always look (or smell) like people in need. So when followers of Christ can remain followers during the week, away from a church building, and see the hearts of the people they encounter all the time, then the real compassion test occurs.

The tests are becoming more frequent and more difficult in a stalled economy. From increases in food pantry needs to overtaxed benevolent funds, churches are bearing a difficult part of the financial crisis load. In addition, churches are feeling the crisis in their own budgets. Layoffs impact congregations in the offering plate and, as more people in need turn to churches for help, the compassion test gets ratcheted up another notch.

Giving goes up
However, experts and research indicate that giving actually increases during a recession. Apparently people feel compassion or obligation to support their churches (and presumably people in need) during times of need.

What about churches that are just groups of people in need? Even churches full of middle class congregation members still gainfully employed are cutting staff and salaries, freezing budgets, postponing building campaigns and curtailing overseas outreach. The Orange County Register reported as much about several California churches, including Saddleback.

In Florida, churches are seeing increases in attendance and decreases in giving. Rev. Bob Coy told the Sun-Sentinel that he is seeing more people at Calvary Chapel, which has four campuses in Broward and Palm Beach counties. Attendance is up about 8 percent over the last six months, while giving is down 1 percent.

It may be a good time for American Christians to learn what most of the believers in the world already know and what some of the early Christians knew—how to be "incredibly happy though desperately poor," and how to give "far more than they could afford," (2 Corinthians 8:1-4 The Message).